Hi. I'm Sarah. He's Kevin. The little ones are Hannah and Hudson. We're a family, blessed with our children via international adoption. Hannah Claire and Hudson Ray were lovingly cared for in Taiwan, placed into our arms on 12.29.08 and 6.13.12, and things haven't been quite the same since. Hallelujah!

"By adopting a child and helping them reach their potential, they help us reach ours. An adopted child is not an unwanted child; to the contrary. They are a child who was searched for, prayed for, cried for, begged for; received by arms that ached, making empty hearts full. Love is meant to be shared." - Author unknown

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We have a Canon EOS 7D. The lenses I work with include a 24-70mm f/2.8L, 85mm f/1.8, and 50mm f/1.8.

The Taiwanese people who fought for democracy had to pay very high prices. The United States says that we want to promote democracy around the world, but only when it serves us well. We care more about not ticking off China (so we can continue to buy cheap imports at Walmart) than formally recognizing Taiwan a country.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

I'm thankful that Hannah's starting to put together short sentences. We hear a lot of "I see Mama's car." "I see Dada's shoe." And then there's her requests for items, such as "I want cheese." "I want juice." Would be nice if Hannah could tack on a please at the end, but one thing at a time, right?

I was trying to get her on video singing her ABCs. We're singing together a lot right now. Unfortunately, when Hannah sees my phone she wants to play with it and stops singing.

We've been purging our house of infant items and things we haven't used in the last five years since we've moved into this house. My first ever garage sale is this Friday and Saturday morning. Man, this is a lot of work! I don't think I'll be doing this again anytime soon.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

prayers left at the Confucian temple in Tainanby students wishing for good luck on exams

I discovered a gem of a travel site today at Tainan City Guide. I relieved our December 2008 visit to Tainan City, Taiwan, today wandering down Anping's old streets, gazing with wonder inside the Anping tree house, and the beautiful of the architecture and grounds at Chikan Lou the Confucian temple and school, and no one does shaved ice better than the Taiwanese and their cua bing. I even learned something new, having never read about chastity archways before. Reading up, saving some ideas for when we return to Tainan... someday. {Lawrence and Amanda, we'll never be able to thank you enough for that you spent with us. I still look back and think it was amazing and life changing!}

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Today I took Hannah to her first real tea party. She was so cute while we were getting ready. I dressed her in an all white dress and a big white bow. I picked her up in the bathroom so she could look at herself in the mirror. She grinned and said, "Oooooooh! Preeeeeeeety!"

While we didn't wear white gloves and hats, I was thrilled to see Hannah place her napkin in her lap. Nana was a smartie and brought a purple crayon, paper, and some duplo legos to keep her busy. She did pretty well, except for doing things like shoving three grapes in her mouth at one time, chewing them up, spitting most of it back into my hand. There also was a lot of grunting for more petit fours, as she only wanted to eat the candy flowers off the tops.

Kevin and I took Hannah to the opthamologist today for a yearly recheck. HERE is my post from a year ago at our first visit together. Hanging out in the waiting area was a trip. The room was full, and I'm pretty sure that our little family of three were the only people under 70 waiting to see the opthamologist. I brought four library books with us to keep her busy, and the quiet waiting room listened to us read the books together and Hannah's commentary. Luckily, we didn't have to wait long... as we blew through the books pretty quickly.

Hannah laid down on Kevin's chest in the exam chair while the nurse instilled dilating drops into her eyes. Kevin had to hold her down while she screamed. I could hear all of the old people in the waiting room commenting on the screaming toddler. Heh heh. Unlike last year, this time her eyes dilated with only one dose. The opthamologist held her head still while Kevin held down Hannah's torso and thrashing arms. I was ready to help if the kicking got any worse, but it wasn't too bad. Anyway, the opthamologist looked into her eyes and watched them track. No measurements this time. He said that everything looked just beautiful and that he'd see us again in another year. I told Hannah we were all done. She stopped crying quickly and was more than ready to say bye-bye and get outta there.

Monday, April 19, 2010

I got another "I can't believe what your daughter did" phone call from Kevin today while at work. Hannah found another Sharpie pen somewhere around my desk today. This time it was brown instead of black, and she gave herself toddler inspired henna tatoos all over her hands and up an arm. She also grabbed some gold sparkle fingernail polish from my desk, took it into her room, and painted her hands... getting it all over herself, her shirt, and a little on the floor. Sigh.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

While I was working, some IDIOT threw his McDonalds cup out of his car and the CONTENTS of his cup flew in through the sun roof of our car and all over Hannah, car seat, the seats, head rests, Kevin's arm, etc. Kevin had to pull over to figure out what happened and clam down wet headed Hannah. The inside of car is sticky and gross, well... MUCH MORE sticky and gross than usual in the toddler section of the car. He had to have been aiming for our car to get the cup high enough to spray into the sun roof.

Can't help but hope multiple birds will decide to relieve themselves while flying above this guy. Feeling better imagining big white poops falling from the sky.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Here's my fix for this week's Fix-It Friday at I Heart Faces. I cropped the photo square and used the healing brush to cover up a few blemishes. I brightened and sharpened the eyes with Poineer Woman's Bring Out the Eyes and Sharpen This! The next step was using Florabella Actions Retro Vintage.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Kevin and Hannah came to work yesterday to show me THIS. Yes, she did. And with a SHARPIE! Had to black out the background setting, but the penmanship is all hers. Hannah's been getting into my desk drawers when I'm not home. Usually she just gets out my stickers and sticks them all over herself, her laundry basket, or the dog. This is a new level of destruction. Tonight we found the keys to my desk that have never been used to lock drawers before... NOW.

Oh, yeah. She's in her swimsuit on her way to swim lessons. Some of the other parents of toddlers had a little giggle, too.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

About a month ago Hannah suddenly would need "Juuuuuuuuuice! Juuuuuuuuuice!!!!!" when I announced it was bedtime. I was a sucker and brought her to the kitchen with me, and let her have some juice before bedtime. Of course, she only wanted a few sips... but I couldn't deny my daughter something to drink, could I? Then I figured out... duh, Mama. You've been played. The request for juice at bedtime doesn't work anymore, and she's stopped asking.

The little twerp figured out a new stall tactic that I couldn't ignore. This week when putting her in bed she said, "Poo poo! Poo poo potty!"

Excitedly I asked, "Poo poo? Do you need to go poo poo in the potty?"

Hannah smiled and replied, "Poo poo potty."

I had a feeling this might be a trick, but I couldn't resist this FIRST request to go poo poo in the potty, right?

I stripped off Hannah's jammies and diaper, and sat her down on her little pink potty. She looked at me, grinned... and then took off STREAKING through the house towards the kitchen, buck naked.

Monday, April 12, 2010

We spent ours playing, cleaning, playing, shopping, and playing some more. Thought we'd found a deal on a toddler slide and swing set on Craig's list, but it was too babyish. We got Hannah a sandbox and sand toys instead. Hope to have it set up really soon. The swing set might wait until next summer. She's still pretty little, and Mama and Dada can't make up their minds on what to get either. One could spend $150 to $5000 OR MORE on a swing set! Un-be-lievable! The rusting metal painted yellow swing set that I had as a kid was pretty darn fun, wasn't it? I'm not sure if we could handle putting together one of those cedar kits. They look like they might need marital happiness warnings on the side of the box. "BEWARE: This item could cause yelling and generalized marital distress. Couples, assemble at your own risk."

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Monday, April 5, 2010

Of course, I have to share my thoughts on THE GAME. We put Hannah to bed and spent the next two and a half anxious hours watching my Butler Bulldogs trail Duke by a few points, tie it up, and trail by a few points again. Kevin's heart palpitations kicked back in during the last minute of the game and we yelled so loud that we woke Hannah up. Sooooooo close! So close! I had a great time facebooking with my old college friends from around the country during the game. So fun to have this game draw the dawgs back together.

My facebook status at the end of the night:

"The announcer said it right. Butler didn't loose tonight, but Duke won. I'll bet most people never thought it would be that close the WHOLE game. A game that the team could be proud of. And just imagine if that hail Mary from half court that caught rim would have gone in!!! Arg! Way to go, guys. Great job."

Sunday, April 4, 2010

We had a nice dinner with my family today. Ham, scalloped potatoes, yummy green beans, fruits, broccoli salad, rolls, sweet potatoes... even a bunny cake with ice cream. Have I mentioned that my mother is the very bestest of the best cook that I know? The little ones were so funny during their Easter egg hunt. They gathered eggs until they figured out that there was candy (or as Hannah says, CAN-KEE) inside. The hunt had to stop to sit in the grass for awhile to enjoy the M&Ms.

I worked today, so Nana and Papa took Hannah to church with them. Nana says that she was on stimulation overload with so much to see... people, music, flowers, bells. Papa says that Hannah would make a good usher because she likes to eat donuts with the guys.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Tonight was a big night. There was some yelling a the TV in my parents' basement. There was some pacing. There was a lot of pizza consumed. There was some pushing of a cozy coupe in circles to keep Hannah entertained. There was a lot of nail biting and general nervousness. It all worked out in the end, and my Butler Bulldogs... a school with less than 4000 undergrads... are on to the Men's NCAA Basketball Championship game.

A few fuzzy iPhone snaps from tonight:

We had a very sleepy little bulldog in our arms at the end of the night. She was pretty cute tonight while pointing at the bulldogs on our shirts. Hannah pointed at my bulldog and said, "Mama's dog." Then she'd point and Kevin's shirt and say, "Dada's dog." Funny little bulldog!

Friday, April 2, 2010

It was a beautiful warm day to today, but this kid threw several fits. Trying to decide if she's grouchy because she doesn't feel well (please... these ear infections are supposed to be blasted away by that Augementin!) or if we're starting to feel the effects of the terrible twos. We're being tested. She wants to be carried, sometimes around the house, but mostly in public when we're out and about. We offer her our hand to hold, but she drops to the ground and demands to be carried telling us, "Up! Up!" As she was slow to walk, Hannah NEEDS to walk and exercise. Dada and I are putting up a unified front and demanding that she walks, even if she's holding on to both of our hands. She threw a ten minute fit on the pavement in front of KFC Tuesday night, while I asked onlookers not to look at her... she's throwing a fit. Hannah screamed her way through a beautiful park today while we walked her back to the car. So frustrating!

This is my submission for this week's Fix it Friday at I Heart Faces. The photograph of this little girl was pretty beautiful already and needed little work. I brightened and then sharpened her eyes with Pioneer Woman's Bring on the Eyes! and Sharpen THIS actions. Then I pumped up the colors with Eye Candy's Carnivale Color and Burnt Out. I sharpened the whole image except for the face with MCP High Definition Sharpening. Then I rotated the image 10%, added a scrapbooking frame and some flowers, and the "little mommy" text, and we're done!